Saturday evening meal …

Once again my planning is designed around wanting to spend time with my Sister, who eats very little red meat. The boys love it so as good a place as any to begin. Here's the result :

Saturday evening meal

For the boys

Beef stroganoff (Strog) – with a difference

have you noticed there's a Russian theme here!

Served in large deep bowls on a bed of mashed potato

Steamed veggies on the side

For the girls

Chicken breast in peppercorn sauce

Dauphinoise potatoes

Lemon glazed roasted carrots

Quorn fillet for the veggie

Served in large deep bowls

My recipe selection from the evening meal is the Strog – I said “with a difference” and the difference is it's slow cooked and I don't use traditional fillet – that would be a criminal offence in a slow cooker!

Here's my take on the Strog :

Slow cooked Beef Stroganoff

Part 1

750g rump steak, cut into strips of a similar size

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

salt and black pepper

2 onions, halved and finely sliced

2 cloves of roasted garlic

2 beef stock pots

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsps of sweet paprika

To complete the Stroganoff

Part 2

50g unsalted butter

250g chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters

2 tsps cornflour, mixed with a drop of water

200g soured cream

Optional - 1 tbsp of brandy

Add the brandy to the mushrooms when sautéed in Part 2

to a stage when all the liquid has been released and then absorbed

There's a reason the Strog is in two parts – hold that thought!

Strog Part 1 method up next!

Late lunch or a snack

Here's the recipe as promised :

Smoked Trout Mousse

400g smoked trout

2 tsp creamed horseradish (optional)

3 tbsp double cream

1 squeeze lemon juice

pinch of black pepper

Serves 4-6

Flake the trout and place in a mixing bowl with the horseradish and the double cream. Mash with a fork until well mixed, add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with black pepper – salt if required.

Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

This mousse would also make an excellent canapé topping.

If you want to try a canapé idea, blinis are great! They are easily available – I got mine from M&S – 16 Cocktail Blinis for £2.50.

Here they are :

For those not in the know – a blini is a small, thin Russian pancake and in Russia served – if you can afford it – with caviar! There are variations on the theme sweet or savoury – a very useful addition to your canapé collection. Smoked salmon and cream cheese probably being one of the most popular.

You could be forgiven for thinking I am digressing. For once it's entirely deliberate, one recipe leads to another idea, which you might find even more useful, if you get my drift!

Coming up – Saturday evening meal ...

More entertaining!

You must have heard that expression, “you wait forever for a bus and then three come along at once!” The same can be said about visitors, especially in light of months and months of lockdown and “splendid isolation”.

I've just written about hot weather food ideas and entertaining for one occasion. Now for visitors, special people, who are coming to stay. My Sister and her Partner are coming for the weekend. It's time to plan. The weather forecast isn't brilliant, which is a shame after the recent sunshine but hey it's the one thing we can't control!

As is usually the case there are variables to be included in my planning. They are due to arrive Saturday afternoon and leave on Monday morning. The word “afternoon” to me means any time from 2pm until 5pm – will they want a late lunch or a snack – it has to figure in the planning.

Here are my menu ideas :

Saturday – late lunch or a snack

Smoked Trout Mousse

Chicken Liver Paté

Warm Ciabatta

Black Olives

Balsamic & Olive Oil for dipping

Easy to pull from the fridge, ten minutes for the bread and can be served quickly and everyone can help themselves. Easy too to leave fridged if my timings are out. You can never tell and if you're expecting guests who are travelling a distance you can't control traffic, especially if it includes motorways!

These menu ideas are designed to remind you of your own favourites that you've not served for ages! I'll choose a recipe that I think you'll enjoy from each of the meals.

I've not made the Smoked Trout Mousse for ages – it's not a complicated recipe, can be made ahead and fridged, so a great idea in these circumstances and you can spread the work load.

Recipe up next …

What to cook in hot weather – the final curry photos

and the remaining bits and pieces.

I realise I'm always going on about raita – it's so easy to make and delicious with any spicy food. I mentioned it as recently as June but just for speed here it is again.

Raita

Take half a large pot of plain yogurt - 250g. Add one teaspoon of ready-made mint sauce and stir well. Add salt and black pepper. If you'd like to add finely diced cucumber feel free but add it as you serve so it remains crisp.

Another culinary marriage made in heaven – the fast and economical way.

I don't make mango chutney, simply because as of yet I can't do better than my favourite - Sharwood's Green Label.

You can buy good quality ready-made naan breads but if you want to make your own I'd choose Garlic Roti which was mentioned in Bread for the New Year in July.

There are heaps of ideas on the Indian label – from Bombay Aloo to Koftas – food for thought – sorry!

Okey dokey just before we complete the hot weather ideas here are a couple of photos :

                                       

Butter Chicken – I'd make more

than you need – it's great to pull from the

freezer for a ready-made supper!

Veggie Rendang – just one word – yum!

Neither the Butter Chicken nor the Veggie Rendang are complicated and long-winded whichever route you decide to take – there's fastish and fast!

Coming up – more entertaining …

The Rendang method … and cheating!

Pulling the Rendang together is easy peasy. Use a large frying pan and sauté the onion and the garlic in the rapeseed oil until softened – 3-4 minutes and then add the peas, potatoes and finally the curry sauce. Set aside until you're ready to serve.

This is not a challenging dish – it's what I call a “fly by the seat of your pants” recipe which you can make your own.

As you would expect from me there are always faster alternatives in other words, cheat.

You can buy a ready-made Butter Sauce in a jar, ready to add slow cooked chicken.

You can buy rendang paste and coconut milk, both easily available.

Here they are :

Next up another photo or two and extra ideas

What to cook in hot weather – then there's the Rendang

I've said already that this is a favourite of mine – what I also love about this curry is that it's quick and easy – ideal too for using leftover veggies. I always cook more potatoes than I need and at this time of year it's new potatoes. You can add whatever you've got – cauliflower, peppers, broccoli, anything goes.

Here's the recipe I use :

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild – use medium or hot to suit personal taste)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

I doubled the recipe.

You don't have to make the Butter Chicken sauce or the Rendang either – you can cheat and buy ready-made products or, in the case of the Rendang, there's very little time difference.

I added :

500g of cooked new potatoes, cut into cubes

1 large onion, finely diced

1 roasted garlic clove (optional)

glug of rapeseed oil]

a couple of handfuls of frozen petit pois,

boxed and allowed to defrost

Rendang method up next ...

What to cook in hot weather – here's Dipna's recipe :

Whilst the whole recipe is a salad I've given you the Tandoori chicken element for ease of reference, it's already on the blog but it'll save you time if you'd like to try it.

Tandoori chicken tikka salad

Serves 4

700g (1lb 8oz) chicken breast, cut

into chunks

Marinade

1½ tbsps ginger and garlic paste

½ tsp salt

1½ tsps green chilli paste

2½ tbsps white vinegar

5 tbsps vegetable oil

1½ tsps turmeric

1½ tsps red chilli powder

1½ tsps cumin powder

2 tsps garam masala

160g (5½ oz) Greek yoghurt

or low fat version

In a bowl mix the chicken pieces with the ginger and garlic paste, salt, green chilli paste and the white vinegar and leave to one side.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the oil and turmeric. Add the red chilli powder, cumin poweder and garam masala to the bowl then mix well before adding the yoghurt. Combine the mixture thoroughly.

Add the chicken pieces to the yoghurt mixture. Use your hands to ensure the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the yoghurt marinade. Note to self – you might want to use disposable kitchen gloves! Leave the chicken to marinade for at least an hour. You can leave it in the marinade overnight, this way the chicken will absorb all the flavours thoroughly.

Once the chicken has been marinated, place the pieces on an oven tray. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 160fan/180c/Gas 4 for 20-25 minutes.

If you'd like to see a photo-guide for the whole salad, check out the Indian label.

Then there's the Rendang!